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“You look breathtaking,” he told me in that low growl of his, and I looked away shyly as he kissed my hand, always the perfect gentleman. “Come on now, Rose. We don’t want to be late.”
He led me outside where a shiny black limousine was waiting. It was a balmy night, and the stars shone brightly above us. It felt like magic was in the air as we sat down in the car, and my eyes drank in our surroundings once we drove off, suddenly hungry for freedom and the sights that awaited us.
I glanced at Thorn a couple of times, and he seemed amused by my hunger for the world around us. I still didn’t know exactly where we were, but I didn’t care anymore. The Mansion slowly faded into the background as we drove away from the shore, into the mainland. The country around us soon turned more populated, with taller and taller buildings as the minutes passed and we kept on driving.
Neither of us spoke as we drove, but the silence between us was companionable, and after a while, I settled into his arms and he held me while I watched the world go by.
The whole drive must’ve taken a little over an hour, and our surroundings changed into a bustling city filled with lights, people, and – at least for me – fear.
I moved closer and closer to Thorn until I was practically sitting on his lap, my breaths fast and panicked, and he must’ve noticed my discomfort because he pulled me into his arms once the car stopped, holding me close and kissing the tip of my nose.
“Don’t be scared,” he said simply, reading my emotions as clearly as ever.
“How can I not be?” I asked him. “I haven’t been out in so long…”
“You’re with me,” he replied firmly. “It’s the safest place you will ever be.”
With those words, he got out of the car and opened the passenger door for me. I got out too, my too-high heels making me look much more elegant than I actually felt. The dress sparkled in the night, and I felt several pairs of eyes on me as Thorn led me inside the large glass building, my heart pounding, and my skin ice-cold with fear.
The building we walked into was an art gallery, wall upon wall decorated with beautiful works of genius. I felt a chill go down my spine as we entered, the sudden thrill of the night making the adrenaline pump through my veins.
As soon as we walked inside, I felt the eyes of every person in that room on us. Envious women, men lusting after me. I felt it all in the pit of my stomach, and it felt glorious, and not unlike standing on a stage when I was dancing. It was the first time a deep realization hit me, telling me I was born to stand under the lights, but it might not have been to dance, but to shine nonetheless.
Thorn led me in the belly of the room with his arm proprietorially wrapped around my hips. He was flaunting me. I had no doubt that these people had seen him with many women. Women more beautiful, more confident, more interesting than I felt. Yet now, I felt like every single person in the room knew who I was. The one. The final rose.
“You look incredible,” he whispered in my ear, sending goosebumps erupting all over my skin. “Every man in this room is fucking jealous of my toy tonight.”
A deep blush colored my cheeks as he steered me to a group of people. I was introduced. Fawned over. I smiled and blushed, chattered and giggled. Not a single person in the room would have guessed I was a prisoner. A willing victim.
Thorn led me from person to person, from group to group. I met investors, bankers, painters, and mostly, billionaires with women whose necks were encrusted in diamonds, and men in suits that cost more than my life was probably worth. I was amazed. Enthralled. Falling in love with this lifestyle. The chink of champagne glasses, the taste of caviar. The classical music, the way everyone spoke. I was falling for it all until I saw him standing in the middle of the room.
I turned to Thorn, my eyes wide and anxious.
“No,” I whispered, my hands going to his chest. “He can’t be here.”
“Oh, darling,” he smiled broadly. “You don’t like my surprise? I thought you would be so happy to see your father, after all this time…”
My body felt shaky, my legs barely holding me up. Something like anger bubbled in the pit of my stomach, and I struggled to find the words to explain why I was feeling so upset.
“Harlow?”
Before I got a chance to say something, I heard the familiar low, growly voice behind me, and I forced a smile on my lips as I turned around to face my father.
